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Posted on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 : 11:04 a.m.

Conan O'Brien has fun; Teddy Pendergrass passes; Leonard Slatkin returns; and more

By Bob Needham

The flap over NBC's decision to move Jay Leno's nightly show to 11:35, displacing Conan O'Brien, continues to entertain. Today's Wall Street Journal notes that the dispute has helped O'Brien's ratings, while Mediaite.com has a report on how O'Brien went after Leno a bit on last night's "Tonight Show," complete with video:

Other entertainment headlines this morning:

MUSIC:

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Teddy Pendergrass performs in 2000.

AP

• Sad tidings for soul fans like myself: Teddy Pendergrass has died of cancer. He was 59. Here's the Rolling Stone obituary, and here's what the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote.

• Another death: Garage rocker Jay Reatard was found dead yesterday of unknown causes, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was just 29.

• After recovering from a heart attack, Leonard Slatkin is back at the podium of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra tonight, The Detroit News reports.

• The Detroit Free Press showcases a local favorite, Ypsilanti's John Latini, who's playing at this weekend's Anti-Freeze Blues Festival at the Magic Bag in Ferndale.

• Rachel May's local music column in the Free Press highlights a show in Hamtramck that will aid the Gleaners food bank.

Nick Jonas' side music project, the Administration, plays this weekend at the Fox Theatre, The Detroit News reports.

• The Detroit News also has a preview of Dionne Warwick's appearance at MotorCity Casino on Friday.

• The New York Post reports that Beyonce and Jay-Z are the top earning couple in the entertainment world.

• There's more posthumous Johnny Cash music on the way. A sixth and supposedly final edition of his "American Recordings" series is in the works, Reuters reports.

TELEVISION:

• After two nights of "American Idol," MTV.com is asking: Do you miss Paula Abdul? Meanwhile, People.com breaks down the second night of auditions. And TMZ.com is reporting (and taking credit for) the idea of Elton John taking over for judge Simon Cowell after this season.

• When Cowell leaves "Idol" to start and American version of his "X Factor" talent show, there are reports that Victoria Beckham will be involved.

• The Los Angeles Times reports that Michael C. Hall (of "Dexter" and "Six Feet Under") is recovering from cancer.

THEATER:

• The Michigan Daily has a nice piece catching up with Ralph Williams, the beloved teacher and Shakespeare expert at the University of MIchigan.

• Mosaic Youth Theatre, the amazing Detroit group with some ties to Ann Arbor, recently got quite a nice surprise: a donation from the First Family, The Detroit News reports.

MOVIES:

• Netflix and Nintendo have signed a deal to stream movies and TV shows directly to the Wii game console, the Associated Press reports. This is already possible on the Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360.

• The Detroit News looks at Detroit Film Theatre's "World Opera in Cinema" series.

GAMES:

• AP reports that "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" has topped $1 billion in sales.

ART & EXHIBITS:

• Book arts have been the subject of some fascinating exhibits and events in Ann Arbor, but if you're looking for more, The Detroit News has a story about a show at Oakland University.

AND FINALLY ...

Let's close with a salute to the late Teddy Pendergrass. No disrespect to his solo work, but I'll always prefer the earlier songs with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Here's a clip from "Soul Train" in all its lip-synced glory.